Power components as a plot device

[atemu1234]

My group is running a campaign that uses the metamagic component variant rule from Unearthed Arcana and the power component variant rule from Dungeon Master's Guide. Now, I want to have there be a wizard who collects and sells these bits and pieces and purchases them from adventurers? Would this make an interesting quest or be a good contact if they come across a really rare magical beast or something?

[Sir Chuckles]

I'd see it as any other similar "Hunt X for me" or "This guy buys this one piece of Blink Dog".
Would I base a campaign around it? Yeah, if it was a Monster Hunter campaign.
Or it could serve as a standard quest giver.

As for interesting, it depends on how the NPC is role-played and the exact nature of the quest.

[PsyBomb]

This strongly depends on the nature of the item, the spell it's going to be used on, and the nature of the effect it is going to have on the spell.

A random questgiver telling an adventuring party "Hi! I'm Bob, the generic mage-wright. I need a Beholder's eyeball for a potion of Disguise Self I'm making to Persist it" might be entertaining or a reason to monster-hunt a couple of times, possibly even as a recurring side-quest to maintain magical supplies. Might even lead into a quest that uses said Persisted Disguise Self. Might even have a hidden research point leading your party casters to research WHY a Beholder's Eyeball has this effect ("Only if you are trying to look like a Succubus or Incubus, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder")

Now... if the Dark Lord Morbius has figured out a way to give himself immunity to all non-evil spells and DR 50/evil, since he figures he wants to be able to affect himself and the only guys coming after him are Good-aligned, then you need a special metamagic component that bestows an Evil aura on Good adventurers, it could be more interesting. That is something that isn't easily replicated by a feat, used in a climactic showdown, and at your option could be remarkably hard to acquire or require difficult moral choices on the party's part (The component is the heart of a Master Thrall of Orcus).

Don't just send the party after 50 bear butts. It isn't as fun.